Two Cyclists Arrested for Illegally Riding in Marin County

Jan 5, 2018
by Pinkbike Staff  
Radar Guns in Marin County

Marin County, California, is often credited as being the birthplace of mountain biking, but even though it's been nearly 50 years since those early pioneers first put tires to dirt, the area is still embroiled in controversy about exactly where mountain bikes are allowed to ride. The recent arrest of two cyclists for riding on Marin open space land continues the saga.

According to an article in the Marin Independent Journal, Dr. Paul Cameron and Dr. David Carbonell were spotted riding on a trail that's closed to mountain bikers, and rode away when a deputy tried to stop them. Both were later apprehended and charged with riding their bikes illegally, along with resisting arrest. Dr. Carbonell is the co-founder of the New Trails Paradigm Group, an organization that has publicly expressed its frustration with the exclusion of mountain bikers from trails in the Marin area.

The article describing the incident states, "Marin County Park and Open Space Superintendent Ari Golan said the fine for riding illegally on open space land is $45 for a first offense. Golan said additional court costs, however, increase the total cost to $199. The fine for a second offense is $100, which amounts to a total cost of $410. All violations after that carry a fine of $150, which actually adds up to $615, Golan said. The charge of resisting arrest carries a maximum fine of $1,000 and imprisonment in a county jail for up to a year."

The turmoil and frustration surrounding mountain biking in Marin is no secret - Vernon Felton's op-ed, which was inspired by the announcement that radar guns were going to be used to enforce bicycle speed limits, did an excellent job of illustrating exactly what the situations is like, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem as if it's going to change any time soon. As Vernon so aptly put it, "Marin County has been an absolutely horrid place to actually ride a mountain bike since, oh, about 1983."

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206 Comments
  • 205 0
 Meanwhile, (also in Marin) the dude who went all-out road rage on a cyclist, tried to run him off the road, and threatened to come after him with a shotgun went to jail!

......just kidding. His case got thrown out because he took an anger management course.

Trespassing: you get arrested and fined. Reckless endangerment and assault: no biggie.
  • 21 0
 Its such b.s.
  • 48 0
 Great, I was having a good day and now I'm just angry.
  • 28 2
 @brianpark: Brian, you live in Vancouver BC! - See, back to happy again! ;P
  • 14 10
 @boxxerace: Overpopulated, soulless, fragmented, overhyped.
  • 20 11
 And the undocumented fella was found not guilty and time served for shooting a nice young lady. I love CA!!!
  • 22 6
 Just thank all the intelligent voters of California that put your elected officials in office.
  • 1 0
 @brianpark: that happens alot if you spend time on PB.
  • 10 9
 @owlie: That's not the whole story on that.The death was a tragic accident. He's up on all kinds of other charges. Too bad so many LEOs get their weapons stolen in the first place. SF aint no joke. Lock those guns up.
  • 24 0
 Get this, the cyclists were not even trespassing. All they did wrong was to ride their bikes "after dusk". The trails are open to mountain bikers during the daytime, it just happened to have the sun start to set and the officer was sitting at the trailhead waiting for them.

Riding at night, an enemy of the state. Who know?
  • 7 11
flag jckaspar (Jan 6, 2018 at 15:41) (Below Threshold)
 @owlie: you should actually read about the case of Jose Zárate before passing him judgment.
  • 16 10
 @jckaspar: Jose Zárate? THE Jose Zárate who was deported 5 times before killing an innocent woman walking in the park with her dad? THAT Jose Zárate? Yeah, he's a flower. But it's OK. California is now a sanctuary state, so you have more idiocy to look forward to.
  • 1 0
 westside
  • 9 1
 @properp: then they move to a free state and start voting the same way...oregon, washington, nevada...
  • 1 1
 @jrocksdh:
  • 3 0
 @Poulsbojohnny: Seriously!! Part of his defense was he didn't know it was a gun! An innocent young woman is dead, forever!
  • 2 3
 @tambikes: devil's advocate - perp said the gun was wrapped up. He picked it up, it went off and the young woman was struck in the back by the ricochet. Truly horrible, but the assailant's intent is a big part of the justice system, not eye-for-an-eye justice like the God books advocate. There are stories weekly of LEOs coming into SF from other jurisdictions and leaving their loaded service firearms in their vehicles. In the F'n Tenderloin, no less, and having them -SURPRISE- stolen. What responsibility do they bear? None probably, but we need to tighten things up. More guns = more accidents.
  • 6 1
 @endlessblockades: the perp said... 90% of people in prison are innocent. So its th LEOs fault their car got broken into is that right? Mcdonalds made fat. Its your fault you got raped, shouldnt have dressed like that
  • 2 1
 @jckaspar: go take your bleeding heart to wapo comments. nerd
  • 2 0
 @endlessblockades: tighten things up! more laws will fix it! ironic that's the same reason why there's no trails to ride in California anymore.
  • 1 0
 @titoholt: I was referring to officer's securing their weapons. More laws? Fvck The Law.
  • 71 0
 ...Not going to Marin County.
  • 52 1
 aging sierra club members/ hikers are cool with that.. It's why things are the way they are..
Too bad, since there are so many trails that could be great for riding.. But, folks over there just don't want to share..

Any time a trail is suggested to be opened up to bikes, even to avoid roads for safety reasons, people lose their freaking minds and shoot it down..

Yet, the folks that manage the land want bike access to only happen on current trails.. It's a no win situation.. Can't get more access on current trails and won't build any new ones.. cyclists in Marin are F*ckd unless they poach.. So they do. it's all they've got.
  • 11 19
flag seraph (Jan 5, 2018 at 15:06) (Below Threshold)
 Yes, stay away. Nothing to see here...
  • 24 40
flag onemind123 (Jan 5, 2018 at 15:42) (Below Threshold)
 @seraph: exactly how i feel about people coming on our side of the border.
  • 25 0
 @shrockie: Sounds a whole lot like the CO front range too. You could replace "Marin" with "Boulder" and that story would not be surprising. Same situation here.
  • 6 0
 media.giphy.com/media/3oz8xSSfPn6zRSjJPa/giphy.gif
  • 14 3
 @onemind123: Build a wall.
  • 3 1
 @shrockie: They're pulling the same stuff in Santa Clara co. as well.
  • 14 18
flag Krzymndyd (Jan 6, 2018 at 6:40) (Below Threshold)
 Don’t even come to any of California. Trails are awesome but we have to many a*sholes that dont want us to have fun. I live in palm desert Ca and we have some great trails out here but our problem is the Indians out here. They were givin most of the mts in the area. They want people to hike on the land but according to them Mt bikers are very disrespectful to the land and make trails wider then they should be. This was being told to me by an Indian park ranger as he is giving me a ticket as I am hiking my broken frame out but in the mean time there is a family with 2 kids that are running off trails stepping on vegetation and throwing rocks right behind him. I even caught an Indian park ranger putting cactus and branches on a trail that was not on their land. When I asked why they were doing this they said “it’s our land and we can do whatever we want to keep bikers off the trails”. We had a big argument of how they were not on their land I reported it to the local police but they won’t do anything. The Indian casinos give to much money to the city’s for the city to actually do anything.
  • 32 8
 @Krzymndyd: By “givin most of the mountains out here,” I think you mean “the mountains out here are some of the few areas that weren’t taken from them.”
  • 6 11
flag Krzymndyd (Jan 6, 2018 at 20:40) (Below Threshold)
 @Tetany: actually no I meant what I said
  • 58 1
 I've tried and failed to change this dynamic in Marin County. I've attended countless meetings, met with the land managers and proposed 8 different trail alignments. All of them sustainable with 8% average grade that would have been crucial connectors for the cyclists that were arrested last month. Every single one was rejected by Jon Campo of Marin County Parks. I was successful helping to get a small but fun flow trail built on private property near Fairfax in 2012. It is still the only bike specific trail in Marin County. At less than a mile long it does not meet the needs of such a large group of recreation enthusiasts. For about 7 years of my life I did everything I could to change the dynamic that led to these arrests and I failed. So I'm sorry for that. However, I must say that the dynamic that led to these arrests is only going to get worse. Off road cycling is growing in popularity and the trails that we use to be off road cyclists are slowly disappearing. The road and trail management plan for Marin County Parks is a failure. There are so few places to ride that riding illegal trails is inevitable for every off road cyclist. Currently we only have access to 35 miles of narrow trail in Marin. Which amounts to about 8 percent of the total narrow trail mileage of over 375 miles in Marin. The road and trail management plan was meant to change this dynamic and for sure it has been a total failure. All the cycling community can do at present is to come together to vote down measure A the next time it comes to vote. If we do these Sheriff Deputies will not be on the Open Space trails. If that was the case last month: no one would have known that the two doctors enjoyed their bike ride.
  • 9 0
 Thanks for your effort in trying to secure trails for bikes. You know, this type of thing is what happened years ago with offroad motorcycles, more and more land was taken away, in the name of land destruction/. Granted a motorcycle can do far more damage than a bike can, but there were lots of folks willing to donate their time to maintain the trails, which of course fell on Deaf ears. I;m in So. Cali, and have only been riding for just under a year, but I intend to get involved with a group that will fight for us to share trails, and to add more trails.

Keep up the good fight, I'm sure a lot of the up north folks appreciate it.
  • 9 3
 @Hammer48: Please check out the Sustainable Trails Coalition. I'm on the board. We are working to change the Wilderness dynamic that bans bikes. Our legislation would allow bikes to be in Wilderness areas on a case by case basis. Please write a letter to your legislator, write an editorial to your local paper and if you can send us some money. It all goes to our lobbyist in DC. I wish you the best.
  • 5 0
 @DaveySImon: Just wanted to say thank you for your work at Tamarancho/Endor, etc. I ride there once a month and just bought my 2018 pass. It's an oasis in a world controlled by a few militant floppy-hats.
  • 4 0
 Davey you are an underground legend. Only guy who had the guts to speak up and predict that nothing would change without a serious shift in our advocacy groups' thinking. Cold beer and free trails waiting for you when you can get up to Ashland. - CB
  • 1 0
 @ normar thanks buddy. Hope to ride with you again one of these days.
  • 2 1
 You guys should plan a protest critical mass style event on the trails just like downtown SF. Protest is patriotism! See what happens when you really use numbers to cause a ruckus... People start to listen when you make more trouble than their time is worth :-)
  • 57 1
 Lol, f*ck this. I'm moving to Washington at the end of the month, no joke. I'm out. The Bay's f*cked. Old ass yuppie tech douches swinging their big money dicks around hitting everyone else in the face. I'm done. It's been fun but it's just getting worse and worse. Also the most expensive place to live if the f*ckin country. Can't wait to shred with all the homies up in WA - at least communities up there understand the value of trail access for bikes. Rock on PNW and keep leading the way.
  • 20 4
 Hate to be a buzzkill but Seattle is turning into the worst parts of California except with worse traffic thanks to, you guessed it, the tech industry. Ask most people who've lived in the Seattle area for more than 15 years or so and they will tell you they are disappointed Amazon isn't leaving the state altogether. Good news is if you move anywhere outside of the greater Seattle area things aren't too bad yet. And better yet you are going to find a welcoming community that loves the outdoors, beer and getting rowdy on two wheels!
  • 6 2
 @MrFogg: That's all true, but at least almost everyone here is pretty cool to each other. Rarely run up against other user groups who are not friendly. So come on up Morgan! P.S. Live somewhere off I-90 or in Bellingham if you want great post-work rides!
  • 25 0
 While Bellingham has a hill to pedal around on it has become a snarling mess of traffic, crime and disease. Unemployment is rampant with lines running up the hill. Swamps are falling from the sky with no end in sight. I beg of you to save your self and avoid the city of subdued excitement at all costs. Pry for us. . . . . . .
  • 4 2
 boxxerace knows what’s up and the extent of trails up here is mind blowing and continually growing. BUT, if you don’t want the same imported tech crowd as the Bay Area you’ll need to be east of Issaquah on 90 or north of Everett on 90. You can be south of Tacoma but that’s not where the good dirt is Wink
  • 5 0
 Moving out of California was the best decision of my life. Very sad because it's such a beautiful state. NorCal that is. But those people that live there and call it home ugh
  • 15 0
 Left Marin a year ago for Ashland, OR. You know how you imagine something in your dreams, but when it finally happens, you are left hoping/wanting more? The complete opposite happened when I moved. Every expectation filled including perks I never imagined. 2 hours less of my life per day not spent in traffic. Not a day goes by that Im not thankful to have gotten out.
  • 1 2
 double post
  • 5 0
 WA has the tech douches in large amounts but at least there's a ton of riding to be had. I would just avoid living directly in Seattle if you can. If I were looking for a home strictly as a mountain biker I'd be looking for real estate in North Bend/Snoqualmie. Pick a direction and go a couple miles and you'll be on a kick ass trail.
  • 5 0
 Come on up -- but please be prepared to support Evergreen and WMBC with your dollars and your volunteer labor. This state has become a mecca through decades of hard work. We built this place and welcome you, *if* you are willing to participate in maintaining it.
  • 43 0
 As a Marin native who now lives in San Diego, I can tell you this is not a California issue- its a Marin County issue. Plenty of awesome places to ride in SoCal and elsewhere. The Marin war on MTB goes way back- I started riding Mt Tam in '86. By the early 90's we had rangers with radar guns patrolling Eldridge grade- main fire road to the East peak of Tam. I was attacked by a bunch of old ladies on the same trail climbing up after I said good morning. Tried to hit me with a hiking stick and spit on me. The people in Marin- not necessarily the rich ones- the old nasty sierra club hippies who hopefully will die off or be priced out soon are the driving force behind this hatred.
  • 3 0
 Yup
  • 13 0
 Yeah, fortunately it won't be too long before the majority of these people are dead.
  • 1 0
 Hit the nail on the head brother
  • 2 1
 So many good trails in SoCal!
  • 1 0
 @Pmrmusic26: for an MX bike.
  • 2 7
flag Sammyfish (Jan 6, 2018 at 12:00) (Below Threshold)
 I too am a Marin County native, that recently moved to San Diego. I absolutely agree with the previous post. Plenty of great trails here where mountain biking is not only permitted, but welcomed and encouraged!

Marin has an over abundance of cyclists on the roads. Everything from tourists on rental bikes, families out for a leisurely ride with thier kids, to the dedicated “spandex warriors”. They are all forced to share the streets with automobile drivers. The streets become so congested at times that road rage incidents are a normal everyday occurrence. The bottom line being, there are just too many bicycles, and most don’t obey the traffic rules. Because of that, they’ve ruined it for the rest of us.
I couldn’t possibly imagine taking that mess of people, and allowing them to ride on the mountain trails. It would not be an enjoyable experience... for anyone. Hopefully this perspective is helpful.
  • 15 1
 The bottom line is NOT too many cyclists. The bottom line is too many CARS.

@Sammyfish
  • 3 0
 I'm originally from the San Diego area and I would say San Diego is having it's own share of trail access issues. In just the last ~5 years many of the best spots have been bulldozed after being around for 10 years no problem. Anderson, Ted's, Cuyamaca jumps, etc. I haven't been in SD for a couple years now but it sounds like SDMBA is doing great work in slowing/reversing this trend in SD.
  • 1 0
 Such a shame. Sounds like basically 40-year-old groupthink that just won't change regardless of the facts that are presented.
  • 36 1
 I visited Marin county this last summer and chose an airbnb close to trails on trailforks and close enough to drive into San Francisco for a day trip. My girlfriend and I researched routes and rides to do and decided to do a loop near our airbnb. Long story short we were stopped by a very angry and rude local and his wife who claimed we were riding illegally. I explained we're from out of town, showed him the trailforks app and how there was no way to tell if that trail was closed to bikers or not. There are no signs up and the app describes what the trail was like to ride a bike on. He threatened to call the sherrifs department and overall was an a*shole. We took off, and I could of easily ended up arrested like the two in this article. Anyways, I'll never to back to Marin county on a road trip to ride. I emailed the bike ride association and asked where we could legally ride and the answer I got was basically unfortunately locals are all dicks and it seems like situations like this are normal. (the trail also sucked, by the way).
  • 16 0
 Native here. Your experience is unfortunately the norm. Thing is, most of the “locals” aren’t even originally from here. It’s sad. Of course, most of the best trails aren’t even legal to walk.
  • 36 2
 Whaaaaat?

Makes me want to cruise up to Marin with a group of buddies and f*ck with the locals...
  • 7 0
 @inter71: the lady who's house we were staying at claimed it had something to do with homeowners back in the day banding together and making some sort of rule that the open areas near their properties could never be developed or used. So that made the area more exclusive since there's less land to build on, thus raising the price of houses. So rich people now spend millions on these houses and feel its their right to say that nobody can enjoy nature in their neighbourhood. Unsure if that's true or not, but I get not wanting somebody messing around on your personal property. But getting pissed at somebody who's hiking a mountain off in the distance is ridiculous.
  • 6 0
 @nvranka: if you decide to do so, I'd be happy to join you. I live in Marin and ride everything here. We have great trails. Most people are cool, but we have some incredible a'holes. I've ridden w both guys in the article. Both are good guys.
  • 2 0
 @mmcgibben: what a bummer
  • 1 0
 @gbeaks33: There are laws regarding property lines and public space use, however that just scratches the draconian surface. For sure rich people moving here and lobbying for restrictive access laws has been a major contributor.
  • 2 0
 @nvranka: do it! I'll show you the way.
  • 4 0
 You really should! I unfortunately had to live in novato for 5 months for work and I rode whatever trail I pleased and cruised with my trail dog off leash(that’s like the worst thing you can do) said good morning and smiled to all the angry locals but never gave them a chance to bitch. Sorry if I gave mtbers a bad name Marin but I sure am happy to be out of that over regulated he’ll hole. @nvranka:
  • 27 0
 On our local trails everyone is pretty much allowed anywhere. Mind you, our trail network is kinda crap. But at least you won't get arrested! I once had an officer show up when I was running my chainsaw to build a drop and he was just relieved that I wasn't operating a dirt bike and stoked that I was building cool features on the trail.
  • 22 1
 Canada is awesome. We get it.
  • 31 3
 California, keep voting the same old losers into office and think things are going to get better.
  • 24 10
 Not only California but how about United States?!?!
  • 6 2
 The amount of clueless idiots here is staggering. Very few give a flying fook.
  • 4 5
 Every time people vote to put a law on the books. The people you are punishing are the law-abiding citizens. Criminals do not care about laws and do what they want. Just think about that the next time you go to vote for a law. You are only taking your own rights away and giving an advantage to the criminals. Land of the Free? Whoever convinced you of that should be your enemy.
  • 22 0
 i think they have a case to get this thrown out: clearly that sign applies to beach cruisers only.
  • 23 1
 Calif. sux in so many ways, and I live here...rolling eyes.
  • 23 3
 Drugdealers in jail, not mountainbikers... this is not MAGA
  • 13 5
 Fuck yeah! Make MTB great again!
  • 5 1
 Any updates on that wall? I'm still waiting to ride it.
  • 13 1
 That's like, really smart. Genius, actually, and stable. Hugely stable.
  • 7 10
 @properp: 8 prototypes have been built , choice must be made after testing, and it must be know who's gonna pay for it www.independent.co.uk/life-style/design/trump-border-wall-prototypes-latest-news-design-contract-companies-win-worth-mexicans-us-illegal-a8046371.html?amp
  • 3 1
 The words of a stable genius.
  • 12 0
 This is also the part of the world where rangers will hunt you down with a helicopter if you ride off the fire road. No joke!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJQJeB3hruA

It's f**king ridiculous in California. For a place that was once know for free thinking the state is the enemy of anything fun if it's incongruent with some rich a*shole's activities.
  • 1 0
 I thought you were kidding, that wastes so much more money than is necessary just to fuel that helicopter
  • 1 0
 Hey, at least no one got shot!
  • 17 3
 "I'm a Dentist for God's sake, take your hands off me this instant!!! I'm a Dentist!!!"
  • 3 3
 My thoughts exactly. “You cant arrest me, im a doctor!”
  • 12 0
 Why Wasn't the Bear Arrested? ~they were on that sign also but they too trespass anyway!?!
  • 10 0
 Feel bad for Marin bikes.. they're kind of stuck with that name, even though the county (and most of its trails) is synonymous with being anti-bike.
  • 9 0
 what a waste of tax payers money. all while people are still committing serious crime someone rides a bike down a trail gets fined and goes to jail. wtf has this world to!
  • 7 0
 Marin County isn't unique, La Crosse County in La Crosse WI is the same. Same Old Hikers, Same Old 80's ordinances against bikes... Just this week two old hikers attempted to hold down a mountain biker for riding his bike. I was just joking yesterday that my goal for 2018 was to get arrested for riding my mountain bike, and today pops up this little gem on Pinkbike. Go figure. The silver lining is that the Sierra Club people and their wilderness counterparts are closer to pushing up daisies than banning more bikes. I see tides turning, especially with the STC, even if the STC doesn't win their cause they have brought a ton of attention to the issue and guess what. Most people under 40 today do not understand why bikes would be banned anywhere, and those are the ones having kids which is bringing a whole new generation into riding. Through the NICA kids in the mix and the argument for access is even stronger. Recreation is the future of conservation, believe it and keep preaching it!
  • 9 2
 This is so f*cked up! The "land of the free" where corporations are getting away with destroying the envinronment, poisoning drinking water, EPA is pretty much abolished, school shooting are almost daily occurence but mountain biking is forbidden...
  • 4 2
 Yee haw
  • 4 3
 Oh c'mon, you watch 2 much frckn TV.
  • 11 4
 Typical crony-ass California and their politics. I could use some ocean-front property in Nevada... so just go ahead and do us all a favor and fall off into the ocean already.
  • 7 2
 I've been waiting for AZ Bay for years!
  • 11 2
 I'm so grateful I don't live in Cali. It's just one giant clusterfuck of a state.
  • 7 0
 Marin is a joke! Open Space Rangers are useless. They hire seasonal crews that get half the pay and no benefits to do all the real work. It's disgusting! Mountain biking is not a crime!
  • 11 3
 That’s california now - arrest mountain bikers but let everyone else out of jail.
  • 4 3
 It's true, law enforcement knows who has money to pay fines in CA. Highest taxes in the country, highest cost of living, highest paid government officials ( I couldn't believe the salaries of the county I live in )! Least amount of money spent on education per student ( unless your a DACA students then everyone is falls over to part the sea for you. I'm looking for a good place to live, but I'm having trouble finding it.
  • 8 0
 Rampant opioid epidemic but the law is cracking down on pot and folks riding bicycles on paths.
  • 2 0
 True and true, can't tell you how many cops I've seen since the new pot law. I ask myself, have they caught all the gangs, murderers, and rapist?
  • 6 1
 Leave? Move? Wtf?! My boys and I down here in socal would rather go to battle against these morons rather then run. They tried to allow surfing in only certain beaches, you think we moved because of it?! No, we fought it and won. There's thousands of people maybe millions that ride, so get together and beat them at their own game
  • 4 0
 Makes me appreciate the open and welcoming accuses to trails and land we enjoy here in the NC/VA Blue Ridge Mountains. I hate to see this kind of hate. 90% of MTB riders love and respect the the land they ride on and would never disrespect it. My local state parks head ranger loves to support MTB trails.... I better remember to send him a thank you card !
  • 5 1
 And they weren't even on e-bikes! If you go read the news article it sounds like the officers went through quite a bit of trouble to nab these guys. Tally it up:
1. the open space deputy's time
2. the two Marin sheriff's deputies time
3. the gas it took to drive to the dude's house to apprehend him
4. the subsequent court time
5. the time it took for two sheriff's Lt. and one superintendent to make statements about this whole thing
Throw in the potential harm the deputy could have caused himself or the cyclist by chasing him down and grabbing him then multiply it by the staggering 27 incidents in 2017 and I'm CERTAIN that the cyclists are causing more damage to the trail and to society by riding illegally. I'm all for upholding the law and yes, the guys were breaking it, but this seems like one that may need a little reworking.
  • 5 0
 Gotta love cops. They 'nab' a couple real troublemakers(the two doctors) and give press conferences, high-fiving each other, but put those same clowns behind a stolen car, and nevermind the fact that no matter WHO'S in the car, they've got 'em out-gunned at least 20-1, and nevermind they're paid GOOD MONEY(average pay here in Kalifornistan is over $100k/yr for a PO) to assume risk, they'll follow the dude at 2mph after they spike-strip him until HE'S had enough, instead of spinning him and/or blocking his way and ending the complete f*cking they're giving the thousands of people stuck behind this crap.
Hopefully they're not that way in every state, but while there was a time when I could say 'well, not every cop is worthless', the older I get, the less confidence I have in that statement-at least in the areas where mountain biking takes place(where I live), i.e. suburban, low-crime rate
I'm sure the cops that chased them had their lights spinning in full force, sirens whaling, calling for back-up. Heck..they prolly even called in a chopper(or two).
Clearly it was the 'big' bust of the day. Heck, maybe even month.
The two 'criminals'(doctors) need to spend the money on good attorneys and fight it. If for no other reason than to cost the county $$$$$$, and teach 'em a lesson
  • 4 0
 We need to band together... make jerseys, shirts, stickers, mocking Marin County, California. Then, donate all the proceeds to trail friendly counties in California, or to buy some open space and build the most obnoxious jump/freeride park that money can buy. Let's show some civil disobedience.
  • 4 0
 well, no one is going to read this...but, i'm going to say it anyway. i think the sense of entitlement that hikers seem to have comes from the sense that we're mooching off all the effort that they put in many decades ago to get the trails built, the parks established etc. real effort-legal fights with developers, the logging/mining/oil/coal coalition. and then we show up and act like we own it. we still have a lot of work to do. after 30 years in this sport, i have come to believe that sharing trails with other user groups is less than optimal. we need to establish enough political/economic clout to build our own trails/trail centers/bike parks. and we have to remember that the hiker mob we're in conflict with, is right. the real enemy is the developer/mining/coal coalition. there's a trail network near the buncombe county landfill, i went there once. not worth a second visit, once the land is ruined, it's ruined for good. some of the comments about the aging hippy hikers will soon near the end of their life cycles are right. time is on our side, as long as we remember who the real enemy is.
  • 12 5
 This is what happens when liberalism morphs into totalitarianism.
  • 2 0
 I live in California as well and this is how it is in the East Bay, about 1.5-2hrs from Marin. Our issue here is the equestrian foundation which I am told are the one who put the down payment for east bay regional parks. I have been fortunate not to get a ticket on the illegal trial but I know they cost 250-300. What I find most interesting is when I have bitched out and not ridden down some of the trails, its way more dangerous than staying on and risking the fall. Therefore I don't see why we can't have our own trails and they have theirs. What is also very similar to the other place I saw brought up here , Boulder, is wealth ultra left liberals. While many of them are pro cycling; Seattle, sf, Berkely, boulder etc. there just seems to be a disconnect with MTB, why is that?
  • 2 0
 People have been arrested for harassing cyclists. If people try to grab or physically restrain you in any way, tell them you are calling the police and they will be charged with assault. I’m not sure if it’s true or not, but I’ve used the argument with great results in the past when unhappy hikers have grabbed my bike and tried to stand in my way.

reviews.mtbr.com/anti-mountain-biking-fanatic-mike-vandeman-arrested-for-assault-with-a-deadly-weapon-against-two-bikers
  • 6 0
 Land of the Free... more like Police State.
  • 3 1
 "From the news article"

Tom Boss, off-road director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, declined to comment on the incident.

Boss wrote in an email, “MCBC advocates for improved mountain bike access by creating safe, fun and inclusive trail environments for all. We do this through collaboration, not confrontation.”

AS FECKLESS AS IMBA and SACREMENTO in ACTUALLY GOVERNING!
ALL IS "sic" NORMAL IN KALIFORNIA.....
  • 2 0
 Rich people run the show. I guess on the up side the rich A-holes are at least trying in their completely wrong and misguided way to preserve something. In the Midwest Wal-Mart and coal/manufacturing CEOs have just pillaged every resource they could but somehow that's viewed as freedom.

If you want to know why laws are the way they are, follow the money. Sadly true in blue states and red.
  • 3 1
 Live in SF, ride Marin all the time, trails are epic but this about sums up the atmosphere of riding around here. Legal trails are okay but all the goodies are ob.. be careful
  • 5 2
 They got arrested because they fled not specifically because they were riding. You could get arrested for walking away from a policer if he stopped you for j-walking.
  • 2 0
 True - I've had a few run-ins with police. I've learned 2 things:

Don't run and don't lie.

You can talk your way out of most anything if you follow those suggestions. I tried the former and learned the hard way.

Weed is now legal, so maybe that is going to make the LEOs look for other ways to make money writing tickets.
  • 3 0
 In Marin County you're either too fast on the trails or too slow on the road. Let me start by saying... never mind I'm not even getting into it. This s#$t is tiring.
  • 4 3
 Look, if a trail is used a lot for hikers and horses, stay off it. Otherwise, FO! If I only rode legal trails there'd be nowhere to ride. This issue says more about local governments than it does the mountain bike community. British Columbia has embraced MTBs and is reaping the benefits. California won't be happy until you're 400 pounds, sitting on gov't approved couches, eating gov't approved chips, watching gov't approved TV programs. People are out enjoying the environment, why not embrace that? California is headed down a dark road and I will resist (and have been).
  • 1 0
 There are tons of other excellent riding areas more free in other states but with the big push from the US government against Mountian biking and the hurrasment of crossing the boarder into the states they can keep their trails. I've got most the rest of the world to ride my bike in. This really sucks for local riders tho...
  • 2 2
 I live in a neighboring county. I’ve ridden in Marin. I’ve been stopped twice once by a deputy and once by a ranger and told that I couldn’t ride on particular trail I just came off of. Once by a deputy and once by a ranger. Both times I’ve apologized and advised that their were no signs posted. Apparently one trail there were a couple of signs that I guess I missed. But I was polite and apologetic and in neither case did I get a ticket.

I have ridden across CA and NV and have never been stopped any place else by the law or locals.

I do agree that Marin in general is anti MTB, but running from the cops is stupid. These guys brought this on themselves.

I’m also curious to know how this cop caught the guy he got. I’d hope he was on a bike or dirt bike. Cause if he caught that guy on foot, damn that guy must suck.
  • 2 2
 Mountain biking is a fringe sport. Im glad its not main stream. I see my self as a traveler using my own energy for my two wheeled transportation. Unfortunately my fringe sport is offensive to any other user group enjoying the out doors. My Sympathy for all riders living in Marin County. Its not all happy times in BC . We have the same problems but on a much less of a drastic scale.
  • 4 0
 this is so fucked up
  • 1 0
 Since riding a bike is only sanctionned with a ticket there is no resisting arrest flying away...
Good job "land of the free" btw...
  • 1 0
 It's more of the "Land of the State", differed from Great Britain by only the lack of a crowned King or Queen.
  • 3 1
 Haha,if you’re not 100% sure you’re going to get away from the police trying to elude is not a good idea.
  • 3 0
 "But my e-bile (I mean ebike) quit pedal assisting me right as I was about to get away
  • 3 0
 The sign clearly says no Dutch style bikes. Not mountain bikes.
  • 1 0
 The only signs I ever see posted indicate no white beach cruisers, so I figure I'm good.
  • 3 0
 I grew up in marin county, f*ck that place.
  • 2 0
 Sign clearly states no hardtails allowed. Full suspension bikes are good to go though
  • 2 0
 California sure has gone to hell on multiple fronts. Sure is sad considering how many beautiful places it has to offer.
  • 3 1
 Gotta love Kalifornia...come to Arizona! We love freedom here.
  • 2 1
 Then they came for the motocrossers, and I did not speak out— Because I did not ride motocross...
  • 3 5
 Man. Too bad no one can blame ebikes somehow. then there would be credence to that argument about trail access. Of course if I am right the way to solve this is to flood the county with ebikes so the fat and slow can enjoy trails. Then suddenly they will push for access. And that doesn't seem likely to work either, really. Sometimes people just suck.
  • 2 0
 wait until SP takes his ebike there
  • 2 0
 i think they were savin that land for some sour gas plant , pesky bikers
  • 2 0
 I just heard Imba called to apologise for them.
  • 1 0
 Lol Schysophrenic yankees maybe Trump can fix that with a wall, a great wall.
  • 5 3
 Classic California
  • 5 3
 Everyone thinks it's some liberal paradise, when it's really just people with a claim jumper mentality who want pull the ladder up behind themselves to be sure no one gets what they have. I've lived here most of my life and have to say, it's still better than anywhere else!
  • 4 4
 @ADanielWeaver: why are you even on pinkbike if you don’t support the people who ride bikes?
  • 2 1
 Kick the ever liv'n birkenstock shit out of em!
  • 1 0
 That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of
  • 1 0
 Ride very early dawn, use at least 2 cowbells!
  • 15 15
 That's Marin liberals for you. Home of Nancy Pelosi. Keep voting for them, sheep.
  • 8 2
 Pelosi's district is in SF, on the other side of the bay...

Marin is in District 2 - extends all the way up California's coast to the Oregon border (through Mendocino, Eureka, etc). Rep is Jared Huffman, Democrat. Google/Wikipedia is an awesome tool.

Not that it matters because he (and all the other congressional reps) have far bigger fish to fry - this issue isn't on the radar of state reps (nor should it be) - this is a local/county issue, and obviously Marin County like the rest of NoCal is a mess when it comes to local park space balancing the access needs of hikers and bikers (forget horses, I won't go there).

Anyways, thought you wouldn't mind getting some basic civics from a 9th generation Californian/sheep. Sorta like Kumail Nanjiani's take on racists - "What bugs me about racism is the inaccuracy. Do the research! A more informed racist is a better racist!"
  • 2 0
 Killers him with words

@phclaw
  • 2 0
 Killed
  • 4 7
 @pancakeflatted: a lot of smug mindless drivel indeed.

Missed the point entirely, but that’s liberals for you.
  • 2 0
 @phclaw: Yes our rep is Jared Huffman. While he's likely not weighing in on this he is unfortunately weighing in on HR1349 (Wilderness Act Amendment to remove blanket bike restriction). He's very much opposed and his comments during the natural resources committee meeting show at best he's grossly ignorant and definitely not what mountain bikers in district 2 want as representation. If you're bored, just want to get more pissed off or need motivation to vote:
naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=403567
  • 3 1
 @awaite: I'm not sure where to land on the wilderness act. It won't matter at the local city/regional park level in terms of access, better trails, etc. At the federal park level my family and I have visited plenty over the years, but I'm not going there to ride (in Utah and CO for instance there was so many other choices for better riding, I didn't mind not riding in the parks). Plus let's face it, the GOP is using the bill as a trojan horse to (industrially) develop these lands, which is why Dems are rightfully suspicious but it also pits them against the mountain bikers and atv people. And neither of these political points have anything to do with mountain biking. The more I think about it the more I believe there should be bikes-only trail centers - not necessarily the ski-lift parks, though those are great, but year around parks just for bikes.
  • 3 0
 @phclaw: You're right this legislation doesn't affect the open space issues in Marin *directly*. I personally believe that eliminating the blanket restriction on bikes in Wilderness would have indirect benefits to all conversations about access. The ban in Wilderness was the first big salvo in the fight against bike access to public land in the early 80's. It set the tone for attitudes toward bikes on trails.

It's logical to argue the ban is OK - there's a ton of public land out there, right? That is until a place you love to ride is suddenly taken away. I've ridden the Boulder-White Clouds trails in Idaho. They are epic and now they are off limits. What's going on in Montana is arguably worse. Lands being designated as wilderness study areas by the forest service before ever going to Congress and being treated as Wilderness. Hundreds if not thousands of miles of trails have been taken out this way.

As for the GOP's intent, can you explain why you believe this to be a trojan horse? I've heard that argument many times but after reading the proposed amendment I just don't see how it can gets from removing the ban to industrial development.
  • 5 3
 @awaite: He does not actually believe in anything. Just parroting talking points from the media: designed for maximum emotional response for target voter groups.
People like him don’t think. They just talk.
  • 1 0
 Glad they moved the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame back to Marin!
  • 1 0
 Move to redwood city and shred at skeggs
  • 1 0
 Don’t the rangers that catch you have something better to do.
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